The in vitro Live Cell imaging system combines Olympus’s™ micro-imaging technology with SANYO O₂ /CO₂ incubation technology.

Environmental changes that can create stresses in cell cultures are controlled by integrating the
culture, observation and time-lapse recording of cells in one system. The integrated design eliminates the need to remove cell cultures from the incubator for observation so minimises disturbance of your samples and also reduces the risk of contamination.

Phase contrast or relief contrast systems are available, both of which are integrated into a SANYO MCO-5M Multi-gas Incubator. This revolutionary system allows multiple samples to be cultured and their progress observed from multiple viewpoints using a flat-stage design that eliminates limitations on culture vessel configuration. A multi-autofocus function enables layer viewpoint imaging.

Time-lapse imaging using multi-autofocus and fixed point monitoring is possible on multiple culture vessels using full PC control for the positioning of the sample under the microscope and for data acquisition. This process is controlled remotely and automatically without the need to open the door of the incubator to manually select samples.

The Incubator provides a stable culturing environment using PID temperature control with a heated air jacket together with and Infra-red CO₂ control system and a solid state Zirconia O₂ sensor. Potential contamination within the Incubator chamber is controlled using InCusaFe copper alloy stainless steel and HEPA filtration. The incubator is constantly decontaminating, all day, every day, without the need to run dedicated decontamination cycles.

The Microscope, situated within the incubation chamber, operates within the same temperature environment as the incubator so potential focusing errors due to temperature differences are prevented, even in long term time-lapse imaging operations.

Newly developed software is equipped with a variety of functions to support informative imaging from every angle. SANYO’s “Z direction multi-point auto focus function” allows the ever-clear imaging of cells at different depths of culture media. Time-lapse imaging and fixed point observation functions are also available.